Frequency of methicillin-sensitive and resistant- Staphylococcus aureus carriers in hospitalized pemphigus patients in Tehran: A cross-sectional study

Pemphigus is a chronic autoimmune blistering disease characterized by intraepidermal blisters. These blisters damage the skin barrier and increase the risk of life-threatening infections. Nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus can increase the risk of infections and delay the wound healing process. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of staphylococcal carriers in hospitalized patients with pemphigus.

In this prospective cross-sectional study، medical records of 72 hospitalized patients with pemphigus in the period from March 2013 to March 2014 were reviewed. Samples were collected from anterior nares and cultured at the time of admission and one week after hospitalization for evaluation of S. aureus colonization and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) types.

Forty-five patients (62. 5%) were male and 27 patients (37. 5%) were female. The frequency of S. aureus carriers was 58. 3%. Thirty patients had colonization at the time of hospital admission; among them، 22 (73. 3%) patients had MRSA. In forty (55. 6%) patients colonization were found one week after hospitalization. Thirty-three (82. 5%) patients in this group were MRSA positive. There was no significant difference between S. aureus colonization at the time of admission and one week after hospitalization (P>0. 05).

S. aureus and MRSA carriers (communityacquired and hospital-acquired carriers) were prevalent among patients with pemphigus. With identifiction and isolation of carriers of S. aureus in pemphigus patients، not only could prevent spreading S. aureus and MRSA associated infections، bul also would facilitate wound healing. More robust studies are required to assess the role of potential riskfactors.